Finding Love Again
by ForestBornNinjaGirl
Summary: My first FanFiction! Kai hasn't found his true potential yet and with two more fang-blades left to be recovered, he's feeling the pressure. More stress is added when his childhood crush reenters his life. Will Kai break from all the pressure, will he conquer it, and most importantly, will he find love again? KaixOC. T for minor language. Please read and comment!
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: Well this is my first story. Any tips and/or comments are greatly appreciated! Shoutout to RedHotPickleFace for being my Beta Reader! Please Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Ninjago, just my OC**

Chapter 1:  
"Hey Kai, guess who I saw at the grocery store," said Nya as she laid some freshly purchased groceries on the table.

"Ooooo... Cake mix!" exclaimed Cole.

Kai rolled his eyes at his cake-obsessed brother. "Who?"

"Lucy," smirked Nya.

Kai's mouth dropped a little in surprise. He worked his jaw back and forth like he wanted to say something but closed his mouth and turned to fiddle with the groceries.

Cole looked up from his intense examination of his box of cake mix. "Ooo Kai's got a crush!" he teased.

"I don't have a crush on her! Kai replied sharply. "We were just really good childhood friends."

"Sure, sure," Cole nodded, grinning playfully.

"I don't like her!" exclaimed Kai.

From the kitchen, Nya snickered. "NYYYAAAA!" exploded Kai.

Nya shrugged her shoulders and bit her lip to try to keep from laughing out loud at her brother's expense. Cole on the other hand had fallen to the floor, still clutching his box of cake mix, and was laughing his head off.

Kai, trying to make use of the dignity he had left, stalked over to Cole and grabbed his collar and snatched the cake mix away from the other ninja's grasp. Cole immediately started to say something but Kai cut him off growling,"I. Don't. Like. Her. And not a WORD about this to the others or I will personally see that your shag of greasy black hair hangs over my bed. Got it?" Cole rolled his eyes and massaged his neck as Kai dropped him. "Whatever. Can I have my cake mix back? I wasn't done with it."

"Sheesh you might as well bake it now," Kai smirked.

"Great idea Kai! I'll go ask Zane to help me make this for desert!" exclaimed Cole as he dashed to the game room.  
Kai rolled his eyes and loped into the kitchen and leaned against the counter as he watched Nya put away the groceries and clean the kitchen, which would be relatively pointless if Cole was planning on making cake for dessert.

"What do you want Kai?" Nya sighed, interrupting Kai's thoughts.

"How'd you know I wanted to ask you something?" Kai asked, surprised.

Nya raised an eyebrow. "Really? It's obvious. You stand there watching me, don't help, and don't blow your top. What do you need?"

Kai sighed and looked to the door in case anyone was snooping around, searching fora little gossip tidbit. He needed to be able to talk to his sister in private. "I wanted to ask you about . . . Lucy," he sighed reluctantly.

**I hope you all enjoyed my first chapter. Please review for more if you liked it.**


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: Thank you so much reviewers and followers! Your comments and tips mean so much to me as a new writer! I wasn't sure how soon/late to update but here is the next chapter. Enjoy!

Chapter 2:

Nya smirked as she put away the last dish and turned to face Kai. "I thought you would never ask - not! Well, what do you want to know?"

Kai fidgeted against the counter and ran his fingers through his spiky hair. "I don't know. How did she look? Where's she living? Does she have a job? Uhhh is she in a . . . relationship?" Kai finished, looking sheepish.

"Well she looks the same, same tan hair with streaks of blond in her normal ponytail. She's grown a little, about my height. She looks like she might have contacts now but it was hard to tell."

"What was she wearing?" Kai interrupted.

Nya raised her eyebrow again in humor. "Wow Kai. You've really got it huh?"

Kai blushed slightly and fiddled with the dish towel in an attempt to hide his embarrassment. "Wellll... she was wearing a t-shirt and some short jeans with her usual tennis shoes. She's really not much for jewelry and she really doesn't seem to have changed in her attire either. She is still her same tom-boyish self. Anyways, I think she said she lives in an apartment somewhere in Ninjago City and now she's a professional baby-sitter. Remember?"

"Oh yeah." Kai remembered. He easily recalled the few times he had spent with Lucy when she had baby-sitting charges to take care of. But there had been other times too. Water gun fights, pretend sword fights, video games and when they were on the high school track team, foot races. They always ended in the two breathless and laughing. Lucy was such a tomboy. She had a simple lifestyle, was willing to help others, she was sporty, and she had a mischievous side too.

Kai must have had a pretty dreamy look on his face because Nya began to laugh at him. "Huh? What? Ugh nevermind. But ummm did she say anything about being in a relationship?"

Nya smirked again then said,"No, she didn't say anything about being in a relationship or having a boyfriend or anything. Maybe she's been waiting for you," Nya giggled, enjoying being able to tease her brother.

Kai's face turned an even brighter shade of red and held his head in his hands. "Ha. Ha. Very funny little sister." When Kai looked up his expression was hard. "Promise me you won't tell anyone about this? You can't tell them about Lucy or anything else! I don't need their extra teasing. I need to focus on unlocking my true potential and I don't need them on my back."

Nya made an exaggerated pouty face, then grinned and rolled her eyes. "Sure. Whatever you say. But don't push yourself too hard Kai."

"Okay whatever," said Kai and rolled his eyes as he turned to the hallway and headed down the hall to the ninjas' shared bedroom.

I hope you all enjoyed chapter 2! I will be traveling for the next three weeks so I'm not sure how easy posting new chapters will be. It'll depend on WiFi and whether or not I'll have a computer available. As always, reviews are encouraged!


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: Thank you so much for your reviews. Yesterday probably would've been a better a day to update, so my apologies. Shout out to my beta reader RedHotPickleFace for all the help with this chapter! Please enjoy Chapter 3!**

Chapter 3:

Kai's POV

So many thoughts were flying through my head as I wandered the halls and made my way back to my bedroom. I plopped onto my bed and turned over right side up. One name screamed through my head - Lucy! She was one of my best friends in my childhood years. I couldn't believe she was still around. Ahhhh... Lucy. A smile tugged at the corners of my mouth at the memories that danced through my sight. But then, reality screeched through my reverie to remind of my current problems at hand.

I still hadn't found my true potential. I had been training twice as hard as the others and still - nothing! Last as usual, I thought sadly. But then there was always the hope I was the legendary Green Ninja that would face the evil overlord and be the destined protector of Ninjago. Even though green wasn't my color, I was ready and more than willing to do whatever it took to prove myself. But Sensei wasn't even here to provide help. He had gone off on some journey to look for someone.

Ahhhh well. . . I was prepared to take on any challenges that stood in my way. I stood up and jumped off my bed and landed on the wooden floor with a thump. I felt like training, especially with the adrenaline and determination pumping through my system, but as I headed to the weapons room, I realized everyone was in the game room. I groaned. Why did life have to be so ironic? I usually hated training, and just as I was pumped and ready to go, everyone was relaxing in the game room. I turned away from the weapons room and headed to the game room and plopped down in a beanbag cushion as Jay, Lloyd, and Zane started playing one of our numerous video games. Cole was still scrutinizing his cake mix box and my sister was nowhere to be seen.

"Ahhh what's up man?" screeched Jay as I passed in front of him, blocking his view. But he quickly got over it and said cheekily,"Being last got you down?"

"Can it Jay," I growled, not in the mood for his jokes. But then again, when was I ever?

"Hey I'm just teasing dude! Your missing out here! I think Zane was about to beat your high score on this one, if you're interested in an update," he said slyly.

"What?!" I roared shoving Lloyd over and taking a controller.

Zane looked panicky for a second as he shot Jay a look then turned to me and calmly said,"Kai if you want to keep your top game, I suggest you practice more to sharpen your edge."

That sentence and price of advice struck me hard in a number of ways. Was Zane telling me to practice and train more so I could reach my full potential? Or was he referring to video games? That sentence about sharpening edges also struck me. It was like déjà vu. I had heard that line somewhere before. Had it been Sensei? I was knocked out of my thoughts again when the screen started screaming, signaling the end of the round. I pushed all other thoughts away and focused on the game. I was determined not to let Zane take the lead.

Hours passed, which felt like mere minutes and we were all in our gaming element, even Nya had come to cheer us on. Cole on the other hand was preparing the kitchen for cake baking. Apparently he had won Zane over and Zane would help him bake the cake. Suddenly another alarm went off and we all jumped up staring at the screen as if it would give us a sign. But my sister, who knew that sound anywhere, shouted,"Serpentine Attack!"

**I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. It was kind of short but I know the future ones will be longer. I leave for my three-week vacation tomorrow, but I hope to continue writing! As always reviews are greatly appreciated!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: I hoped those of you who did read my last chapter enjoyed it! I keep forgetting my disclaimer so here it is: I don't own Ninjago just my OC, Lucy. Anyways, this chapter is a little longer so I hope you guys enjoy it!**

Chapter 4

The village of Moana is named after a Hawaiian town I found off of Google.

Kai's POV

We all rushed to the bridge and arrived to sheer chaos. Screens were flashing and buttons were blinking. Nya and Jay rushed to control the obnoxious noise and bright lights while Cole, Zane, and I tried to make sense of all the racket. Lloyd rushed into the room while rubbing his head as he took his place between Cole and me. I ruffled his hair as he mumbled something about tripping on his way to the bridge. Finally, the noise and blinking lights diminished. Nya and Jay turned to face us.

"What's going on Nya?" Cole questioned.

"There's a huge gathering of Serpentine in the small residential town of Moana, not far from Ninjago City," Nya informed us.

"But the strange thing is, they are just causing a lot of ruckus and damage to random property," Jay stated.

We all stared at Jay in disbelief until he said, "What?"

Zane spoke up saying, "I think what our brother means is that the Serpentine aren't targeting any specific areas and they aren't acting like they are searching for something like a Fang-Blade. So my question is do you think this is a trap?"

Everyone paused to let Zane's comment sink in, but I quickly stepped forward and spoke my mind. "It doesn't matter if it's a trap. We need to go and make sure no one is hurt and get the Serpentine out of there!"

Everyone nodded their head in agreement and Cole stepped forward to take charge. "All right then," he said, getting down to business. "Let's split up in case this IS a trap. Nya and Lloyd, I want you here to monitor Serpentine activity and let us know if anything unusual or bad happens."

Lloyd interrupted Cole saying, "How come I have to stay here? I want to go too!"

Cole sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "Lloyd, you are too young to be going out at night to fight off the Serpentine. What would happen if you got kidnapped again? We need you to be safe when Sensei returns."

Lloyd pouted as Cole continued, "All right then. I'll take Zane, Jay, and Kai to check out the action in Moana while you guys stay here. Everyone good?" Cole questioned. Everyone nodded. "All righty then!"

"Ninja Go!"

With that, Zane, Jay, Cole, and I dove off the side of the Bounty. I could hear Jay whoop with excitement over the rush of the air and I let ou tmy own wild whoop as we hurtled to Earth. After that moment of free-fall, we used our Golden Weapons to turn into our Spinjitsu vehicles and quickly made our way through Ninjago to the small town of Moana. Once there, we dispelled our vehicles and looked around at the surrounding mayhem. People were running for cover or shouting names of their loved ones. Some of the braver, more aggressive ones were fighting the Serpentine.

"So what's the plan?" I shouted to Cole above the ruckus as we surveyed the scene.

"We'll split up to get rid of the Serpentine ASAP and help any of the citizens in need," responded Cole, as he scanned the area. "Then as everything starts to die down, we meet here so we can head back to the Bounty."

Zane, Jay, and I nodded and we split up. I headed to the right, easily knocking down several Serpentine as if they were bowling pins. I smirked at their unconscious forms, but kept jogging forward through the chaotic street. I stopped when I came to a crumbling building. I could see people streaming out of the doors of the building, which perched precariously on its side and reminded me of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. I shook my head clear and rushed into the throng of people and made my way to the endangered building. I directed people away from the building and helped those who were injured to safety. I felt confident all the citizens were out of the building when I turned and found myself face-to-face with a young woman with beautiful soft brown eyes. We locked eyes for a moment until she said, "My parents are still in that building. Do you think you could look for them in there?" Her eyes glistened with unshed tears as she spoke her next words. "It means the world to me that they get out safely." I looked over her, and then nodded solemnly. Something about her had seemed familiar, maybe the simple way she dressed in jeans and a sweater or her eyes. But I forced myself to focus and walked to the entrance of the marred building.

As I turned to leave, I looked over my shoulder and gave her what could have been my last instructions – "Whatever happens, don't let anyone follow me. Okay?"

A single tear rolled down her slender face as she silently agreed.

I slowly pulled the door open and took one last glance at the girl in the middle of the crowd before heading inside.

**Aaahhh well I left you guys with a cliffhanger there! Please review for more!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: Thanks so much for reading my story and I feel the need to give a special shoutout to Wafflegirl0304 who has been following my story and reviewing since the beginning! Thank you SOOO much for your support! This was definetly one of my favorite chapters to write so far. Please enjoy!**

Chapter 5

A few hours earlier. . .

Lucy's POV

Wow. And I mean WOW. Dozens of thoughts were whirling through my head as I unlocked the door to my apartment and headed inside. I had bumped into Nya at the local grocery store. I couldn't believe that Nya and Kai were still around! Nya had brought me up to date on what they were doing now and I told Nya a little about my current life. At the end, we had exchanged phone numbers and went our separate ways. But even though it was Nya I had met at the store, I couldn't stop thinking about Kai. Kai! He was my closest childhood friend, despite being the hot-headed male he was. We had so much fun playing together as kids and hanging out as teens in high school. I was utterly devastated when we went our separate ways after high school. I know I cried my heart out at graduation. He was my best friend and the older brother I never had.

Now I couldn't stop thinking about him. I'm not sure if being as close as we were could be considered "being in a relationship", but it gave me tingles every time I thought about it. The thought of Kai being in a relationship with another girl made the butterflies in my stomach flutter. But my thoughts were rudely interrupted by the television.

I had turned on the news while I busied myself in the kitchen. Now the news anchor was bringing a story about a Serpentine invasion on the outskirts of Ninjago City in the residential town of Moana. I scowled at the name of the Serpentine. Those dirty creatures were always wrecking havoc all over, and they could be pretty stupid too. Then it hit me. My parents lived in Moana and with the Serpentine there, who knows what could happen to them! My scowl was traded for a look of sheer terror and worry. I was so shocked that I dropped the carton of eggs I was holding on the floor and my legs almost gave out underneath me, but luckily I caught myself before I ended sitting in a sticky mess. I wasn't sure how I got in front of the T.V., but I somehow found myself watching intently while shaking terribly. After watching some horrific footage on T.V., I decided to hightail it over there and make sure my parents were okay. I leapt up from my seat on the floor and grabbed a sweater, a handbag, and my car keys on my way out. I hurriedly shut the door and climbed into my car and made my way to the outskirts of the town. I decided to park my car outside the scene of chaos than drive through the entire mess. I made my way through the growing crowd, scanning the faces of the distraught people for my parents. I saw no sign of them, but I did catch a glimpse of several Serpentine lying on the ground and saw some in my peripheral vision running away. I smirked in spite of the situation and gave a good kick to the shoulder of one of the Serpentine. I quickly moved on and made my way to my parent's apartment complex. There was a crowd growing in front of the building and I quickly wove my way calling out my parents' names in sync with the sounds of sirens and wailing children.

I didn't know how long I had been there. An hour or so? But as they say, time flies. I had scoured the entire crowd looking for my parents but had caught no sight of them, even though I had seen several faces more than once. It was then I stopped walking in the middle of the crowd and saw a spectacular sight. A man dressed in red was directing the citizens and helping others to safety. He carried a golden sword on his back and there were detailed designs on his red uniform. Even from a distance I could see his eyes burned with determination and confidence, while at the same time had a caring and protective nature. There was no doubt about it - he was a Ninja, one of the four protectors of our land.

I shook myself out of my brief history lesson and forced myself to stay focused on the task at hand – finding my parents alive and well. I turned my attention back to the red Ninja. He had slowed his pace of work as the number of people streaming from the crooked building diminished. I hesitantly advanced towards him and tapped him on his shoulder. He instantly whirled around and I found myself face-to-face with gorgeous amber eyes. But I abruptly ended the gaze as I said, "My parents are still in that building. Do you think you could look for them in there?" I realized my eyes were smarting and I could feel tears starting to well up on my eyes. "It means the world to me that they get out safely." I hated the guilty feeling of sending this man I barely knew into save my parents when he could possibly die! I looked at the floor and I could sense him giving me a once-over.

I looked up just as he reached the entrance, he turned to me and said, "Whatever happens, don't let anyone follow me. Okay?" My eyes widened and a single tear spilled from my eye and trickled down my cheek. I guess he took that as a yes and quickly slipped inside. "No worries," I thought. "Anyone who wants to get to you first will have to help me first." I sank to my knees on the cold concrete and cried my heart out.

**I hoped you all enjoyed getting a little glimpse into Lucy's life. Please review! Thanks so much!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: Thank you for all the wonderful reviews! I'd like to recognize iluvninjagogirl, ArwynandCole, and Wafflegirl0304 for following me through my story. I need to give a shout-out to my beta reader RedHotPickleFace for helping me through this chapter. This was a little difficult for me to write but here is the finished product :) Whoops! Almost forgot: I don't own Ninjago, and if I did, I never would have aired Chima in the first place :P anyways, I hope you all like Chapter 6!**

Chapter 6

Kai's POV

The air inside the building was thick with dust and debris was everywhere. Chunks of wall, ceiling, and support columns were missing, scattered around the tiled floor. Light fixtures were on the floor, broken glass was strewn everywhere, and furniture was overturned and ruined. I couldn't see anything or hear anyone moaning or calling for help. I carefully made my way to the back of the damaged building as quickly as I could. Once I got there, I turned around and surveyed the scene one last time before using my Spinjitsu to make my way to the second floor.

Once there, I quickly searched the floor looking for bodies and listening for calls for help. After deciding that this floor was barren, I raced up to the third story of the apartment complex and made my way around the floor. All was quiet until I came to room C17. As I passed the room, I heard a faint moaning sound and immediately busted into the room. To my horror, I found I was met with a terrible mess. Most of the ceiling had fallen in and there was broken glass and drywall everywhere. I managed to recover from my shock quickly and yelled, "Is there anyone in here?" I was answered with another moan. I started tossing aside chuncks of drywall in an attempt to find the person, or possible people, in this room when I felt a tremble beneath my feet. I stopped my search momentarily, but soon resumed, confident that the tremor was nothing. After a few minutes of search with no results I stood up, wiped the sweat from my brow, and called, "Can you help me out? Could you give me a clue to help me find you?"

I was answered with yet another moan as well as a feeble voice that said, "We are near the window. I think. . ."

I picked my way through the debris and towards the window. A few feet from the window, a horrible sight met my eyes. Two elderly people - a man and a woman - were lying on the floor. Both were pinned to the ground by chunks of either drywall or ceiling. They were also cut, obviously from the broken glass. The bleeding wasn't serious, but it could become worse. I hastily introduced myself and asked, "Are you able to move?" despite the obvious answer.

The lady, who seemed to be in better condition than her male partner, managed a small chuckle, but answered saying, "I tried to move into a more comfortable position but as you can see, it is quite an awkward situation. I think David might be suffering from some head trauma, but I'm okay, for the most part. My name is Anna, by the way."

While she had been talking, I had picked my way closer to them and had started removing the rubble pinning the couple down. A small tremor stopped me short, but I quickly brushed it off, hoping for the best. Once I had freed Anna from the rubble, I extended my hand to help her up. She stood hesitantly as if she was testing the floor or her joints. Since she appeared fine and in stable condition, I wanted her out of the building as soon as possible. But it seemed that as soon as she had gained her footing, the floor began to tilt a few degrees and rubbish began to slide past us. It looked like things were getting worse, so I spoke to Anna quickly, "I think you'll be able to get out of the building if you start heading down now. I'll stay here with David and get him downstairs as soon as I can. But right now, you need to leave."

Anna's eyes widen in surprise and probably shock, but she nodded her head anyways, wisps of grey hair bobbing back and forth. Then I continued, instructing her to head down to the ground floor and exit the main doors where medical personel would be ready to provide help and her daughter was waiting for her arrival.

Anna's eyes grew even wider when I mentioned her daughter. She immediately turned to the door, but said to me over her shoulder, "Please stay safe and if this gets worse, please get yourself to safety."

I returned the sentiment with a nod, then turned back to the unconscious man lying on the floor. First, I finished removing the pieces of rubble that held him to the floor. David didn't seem any better after that, so I picked him up and carefully placed him over my shoulder and cautiously made my way down the stairs. I picked up a strange smell, something unlike anything I had ever inhaled. But I shrugged it off, thinking about the positive ways this could end, not the negative. Unfortunately, I couldn't use my Spinjitzu to travel quickly down to the next floor, so I carefully tested the each step and with help from my previous trainings, made my way efficiently down the steps to the second floor. I felt more so I picked up my speed and headed for the ground floor.

Despite the situation, I had time to think. All of my brothers had gained their true potentials in a life-or-death situation. So if this building really started to fall apart, maybe I could gain my true potential! Now feeling more positive then before, I sped down the second flight of stairs, but once I reached the ground floor, I stopped for a moment to check on David. He was coming around and moaning occasionally so I assumed his condition was getting better. It was still important that we get him to medical help STAT though. Hmmm.. What WAS that smell? Was something burning?

I looked up from my quick scan over David's figure and managed to make out a rectangular square of light despite the dark air being thick with dust which disfigured any objects into lumpy shapes. I didn't see Anna's outline anywhere so I assumed she made it out okay, despite her old age. I picked up David and carefully slung him over my shoulder again. I hurried towards the exit. It looked like everything would be all right. These two elderly people would be saved and I would live another day.

Boy was I wrong. The last thing I remembered was a bright flash of blinding light, a loud deafening sound, and voices frantically calling my name before I blacked out.

**Hmmm... This didn't really feel like my best work, but I hope you all enjoyed it anyway. This was my longest chapter so far! Please continue to post reviews! Thanks everyone!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note: Hi there! I'd like to thank iluvninjagogirl, Jay Nice, ninjagolover14, and ArwynandCole for your reviews on my previous chapter! I was having a little trouble with this one because I had writer's block and I wrote this while still on vacation. This is really short and I apologize, but I'm also starting a new short which will be up shortly. :D Also, I'll be leaving for a short, weekend-long camping trip and that might delay my updating. But anyways, please enjoy my latest update!**

Chapter 7

No POV

The chaos in Moana was dying down. The Serpentine had retreated back to their underground lairs. Families were picking up the pieces of their temporarily distorted lives and were trying to put them back together. Cole, Zane, and Jay had arrived at the rendezvous point, but after waiting for ten minutes for their fiery brother to appear, they knew something was wrong. Since they all had gone in different directions, the three brothers decided to go search for their brother in the direction he had left. The Ninjas easily found the several Serpentine Kai had knocked down and knew they were heading in the right direction. Soon they found a small crowd gathered in front of a dangerously crumbling building. With a nod from their leader, the three Ninja headed into the crowd, looking for ways to help.

Cole noticed Zane and Jay providing aid to those who were hurt. As he kept walking, Cole didn't notice the hunched figure of a young woman kneeling on the floor in his path and accidentally tripped over her small figure. Cole scrambled to his feet, while rubbing his head, and stuttering out an apology. Cole stopped mid-apology and cocked his head when he noticed the girl hadn't moved. He knelt besides the female and noticed she was crying. Cole immediately became concerned and asked, "What's wrong? Are you hurt?"

The young woman looked up, and Cole saw her face was streaked with tears. She stuttered, "He-he's not out yet h-huh? And it's all m-my f-fault! Now m-my p-parents are g-gone and h-him t-too!"

Cole became confused. "What?!"

"Th-the red Ni-ninja. H-he went in the b-building t-to find m-my p-parents b-because I asked him t-to, b-but he hasn't come out. H-he's probably s-stuck in th-there with m-my parents a-and will n-never c-come out! A-and it's a-all m-my f-fault!" The young woman broke into a fresh wave of tears.

"Kai…" Cole muttered under his breath. "Don't worry," Cole reassured the girl as he waved Jay and Zane over. "We'll go in and find him and bring your parents out too." The trio started to turn towards the crumbling building, but the sorrowful looking woman pulled on Cole's sleeve, causing him to stop and turn back to the female on the ground that had previously been crying waterfalls.

"You c-can't go in. *Sniff* He told me not to let anyone follow him. And I d-don't need you getting h-hurt too," she sniffed. Jay groaned and Cole muttered, "Typical." Zane seemed lost in thought.

"Well, know that we're gonna go in after him. He's our brother and we won't abandon our family," Cole stated. The two beside him nodded in agreement.

"No! Please don't! If you all die in there, it'll be all my fault! I couldn't live – wait. MOM?!" The girl on the floor sprang up from the floor and ran towards an elderly looking woman who had stumbled out of the doors. The woman's eyes lit up at her daughter's presence and the mother and daughter shared a hug. The older woman was almost thrown to the ground by her daughter's hug. The young woman almost started crying again, but this time with relief and happiness. Soon, the woman was surrounded by paramedics who wanted to give the mother a check before letting her go. But while the young woman and her mother were having their teary-eyed reunion, the black, blue, and white ninjas crept past the two and into the crippled building.

Inside the building, Cole, Jay, and Zane stood in a circle in the middle of the destroyed lobby of the residential building.

"Uhm… Guys? Do you smell that stench too?" squeaked Jay

"My database is telling me that the odor you are smelling, is a very flammable gas. The damage this building has sustained from the Serpentine has caused a gas leak," replied Zane. "Let's just hope nothing –"

KA-BOOM!

A flash of blinding light and a thunderous sound sent our intrepid trio flying against the damaged walls. Despite themselves being in danger, our friends called out in desperation: "KAAAIIII!"

**This was definitely shorter than I was planning it to be, but please review! It will definitely help my writing! And keep a lookout for my short story titled A Night to Remember! I will post the first chapter tomorrow. Thanks guys!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note: Thanks SOO much for all the awesome, wonderful reviews guys! I'm sorry I've been dragging this out so long – I thought it was gonna move a little faster, so I kind of stuffed it all into this chapter. I hope I didn't rush it too much. But anyways, ENJOY!**

Chapter 8

Kai's POV

My head hurt. It felt like my heart was in head, not in my rib cage where it belonged. I felt like I was somehow lying on a staircase. Did I fall somewhere on the Bounty? I squinted my eyes and could make out two lumpy figures hovering over me. I tried to part my lips to say something, anything! But my mouth was too dry and all I could do was cough. The two figures immediately leaned closer to me and one of them spoke, "Hey Cole! He's coming around! But he doesn't look too good." Was it Jay? Why hadn't he gone for help?

Another figure came into my altered vision. I tried to sit up but was gently, yet firmly, pushed back down to my slightly uncomfortable position on the stairs. "Kai, you need to remain immobile. We don't know how badly you may have been hurt in the explosion." That voice sounded like Zane.

Explosion? What explosion? I closed my head and tried to think. Right… Moana and the Serpentine. The crying girl and her trapped parents. Then there was a bright light and a loud noise. How long had I been out? Wait! What about David? I jerked up, despite my throbbing head. "What about David? Where is he? Did he get out?" I nearly shouted, finding my voice.

The three people in my cloudy vision exchanged glances. Then one of them, Cole, leaned over and I could see confusion and concern on his face. My heart nearly stopped at his words. "Who's David?"

I leaned back and moaned in both pain and despair. Everyone leaned a little closer. "David was that crying girl's father. When I found him he was almost unconscious. I managed to bring him down here, but I don't remember what happened during the explosion. He was probably blown aside too. Haven't you guys found him yet?!"

"Kai! Please calm down! We are trapped in this building and have been taking turns watching over you and removing rubble so we can escape here," Zane calmly informed me.

"Well if I help you guys, we can find David and get out of here faster," I said trying to get to my feet. But again, I was pushed down, but this time by Cole.

"We don't need you pushing yourself bro. Now that we know you're back to being yourself, we can just focus on getting out of here. And look for David too." He added the last bit hastily when he saw my eyes narrow. I reluctantly complied to our leader's orders and adjusted my position on the stairs so I was more comfortable. Then my brothers turned to resume work on trying to get us out of the building. I sat back and sighed, scanning the room for a sign of David. Now there were chunks of wall and ceiling everywhere and the air was thick with dust. The walls seemed to have collapsed around us, trapping us inside with no way out. I hoped the girl outside was doing better then us. At least she had her mom.

~Outside the building~

Lucy's POV

I rushed to give my mom a hug as she emerged from the ruined building. She hugged me back and I was so relieved I burst into a fresh wave of tears. "Hey sweetie! I'm okay! Just a few bumps and bruises is all," said my mother in an effort to comfort me.

Then out of nowhere paramedics were beside us. A female paramedic stepped forward saying, "Please allow us to take your mother to the nearest hospital. She could have sustained an internal injury or brain damage. We would like to check her out to make sure she isn't seriously hurt." The thought of my mom being seriously hurt like that scared me stiff, but I managed to nod in response.

Then my mom replied, "Better safe than sorry." With that, she was whisked away from my embrace and I was left alone, standing in front of the crumbling building. I turned around to look for the Ninja, but they were nowhere to be found. I kicked myself; I should have made sure they wouldn't go in. I stood in front of the building for several minutes, glaring at it. This one day ruined my whole life; my parents were nearly killed and I now had four lives on my guilty conscience. Could this get any worse?

Suddenly there was a blinding flash and an almost deafening "_BOOM_" that shook the earth. My arms flew up to shield my eyes from the blinding light and to block the shattering glass from penetrating my face. When I opened my eyes, the building was half the size it used to be and rubble was piled in front of the door. Car alarms echoed throughout the town. There was no way the Ninja could have survived through this! So apparently, my day _could_ get worse. Great.

~Back inside the building~

Kai's POV

Great.

I was stuck in a fallen version of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, possibly injured, and I couldn't do squat. I groaned again, one of the things I _could_ do. I removed my hood and ran a hand through my spiky hair. Finally, when I couldn't take not doing anything anymore, I burst out, "Zane! Why don't you just scan me with a body scanner thingy of yours so I can get up and help you guys?! 'Cuz at this pace the freakin' Overlord will take over and be _conquered_ by the time we get out!"

Everyone stared at me while I glared at the slanted wall in front of me. Zane eventually ended the awkward silence by giving into my outburst and stepping towards me to perform a body scan. Jay and Cole hesitantly turned back to removing the rubble to try to create an escape route for us.

It was only seconds until Zane's body scan was complete. I looked up at him expectantly, only to find a blank expression on his nindroid face, but it could have been surprise. When it came to Zane, I was never sure. "What Zane? Please tell me it's nothing serious so I can get up!"

"It seems you might've fractured some ribs from being thrown against the stairs in the explosion. You might also have a minor concussion, but overall nothing that serious."

"Great!" I exclaimed getting to my feet quickly, but slowing down after wincing in pain.

"Kai, your ribs are fractured, which isn't good. Don't push yourself. We are doing fine without your assistance," Zane replied, unknowingly daring me to repeat my snide comment about the Overlord.

"Yeah, yeah," I said, standing. As I glanced around I flipped up my hood and noticed that my brothers had made good progress and it seemed we had the chance to evacuate sooner than I had expected. On the other hand, David hadn't made his presence known to us yet - no sounds made, no limbs visible. I didn't like to be pessimistic but I feared the worst for David. I took a hesitant step forward, and then winced at the slight pain in my chest. Zane was immediately by my side, but I waved away his offer of support. "I'm fine Zane. Really."

Suddenly a beam of light shone through a crevice in the rubble. My spirits immediately lifted. I limped forward as Zane hurried to join Cole and Jay make our escape route bigger. Soon it was big enough for us to step through. Cole went first, carefully clearing away glass and other chunks of debris that we could trip over. I followed Cole carefully through the crude exit with Zane and Jay flanking me. As we stepped into the crude exit, I glanced back one last time for David, but with no sign of an appearance of his person I reluctantly headed out of the building with Jay and Zane on my heels.

The next few minutes were a blur. My head buzzed as cameras flashed and reporters and medical personnel shouted questions. But Cole had things under control. He politely answered a few questions and eventually the crowd thinned out a little. Zane managed to contact Nya over the com-link and told her to come pick us up, as I was injured. I grimaced, not liking the feeling of being helpless. As I looked around taking in the scene, my gaze fell upon a brunette with tear stains. At first I thought she was an overly-worried fan-girl, but when she looked up I recognized her as the girl I had seen earlier. Her eyes widened, but as she was overwhelmed by eager reporters, I could see that tears once again fell from her eyes. The pounding in my head resumed as the pace of my heart increased.

What could I say to her? We _thought_ her father was dead and I was injured so we didn't bother to look for him because it was too dangerous? We were supposed to be the defenders of Ninjago, the citizens' heroes. Some heroes.

I sighed. We were gonna have to say something. Cole was wrapping things up so it had to be soon. I nudged Zane in the side as he finished up with a reporter and stiffly jerked my head towards the girl. I didn't know her name. "We gotta talk with her," I said hoarsely.

Zane raised an eyebrow in my direction before nodding then leaning over to whisper something in Jay's ear. Jay's eyes widened, then a sly look appeared on his face. "This is gonna be good!" he mouthed to us. I swear he was rubbing his hands together in devilish glee.

The next thing I knew, Jay had a crowd of reporters circling him as he started giving a very colorful account of our time inside the crumbled building complex. As Zane started towing me towards the girl, I noticed Cole out of the corner of my eye. He stood open mouthed, shocked. But I quickly dropped it – I had bigger fish to fry.

Before I knew it I was standing in front of the crying girl, her face buried in her hands. Zane gently tapped her shoulder and when she looked up she nearly choked in surprise. I eyed Zane, while he seemed to cock his head. Then the girl spoke. "Is it really you? My eyes can't be tricking me right? You have to be real. But there's no way you could've survived all that. But if you got out okay my dad is okay too right? Please tell me he's okay!"

The girl looked close to tears and I didn't want to break this terrible news to her. I was the one who promised that her parents would get out safely. How come this had turned out so badly? My mouth was open, ready to answer when Zane came to my rescue, surprising me. He smoothly said, "After the explosion we were all thrown to the side. We all sustained minor bruises and our brother here got his ribs fractured. But your father was not in good shape. He told us to leave him in the building; he wanted us to get out safely. He said he lived a good life and wanted to make sure we had a chance to continue to help others. We tried to persuade him otherwise but he was unshakeable in his decision. When we were finally able to escape, we asked him one last time to leave and have a chance at medical help, but there was no response. And it was out of respect for his decision that we decided to part without him. We hope you aren't hurt or betrayed in any way, but when officials come to inspect the building, make sure to notify them." Zane was never one to mince words. "We feel awful about your loss, and offer our condolences, but we also hope there are no hard feelings."

The girl had listened attentively while tears welled in her eyes. But she had bowed her head and, I assumed, started crying again. There was a moment of silence while we let Zane's half-truth sink in. But she didn't need to know it was a half-truth; Zane might have just saved my skin and our reputations. So I threw him a grateful look. Then Zane said, "I think I will leave you two alone for a moment. Cole will let you know when we depart, I presume." He added the last part looking at me. My nindroid brother then patted me on the shoulder encouragingly then left to join the rest of our team. For a few minutes we stood there in awkward silence – me thinking of something to say and her drying her tears. Then we both began to speak at the same time.

"I'm sorry I couldn't bring your dad – "

"Are you injured badly?"

"Oh. You first."

"No. It's okay. Really."

"Okay then. Uhh well I'm sorry I didn't bring your dad back to you like I promised. I'm normally better at keeping promises like that."

The girl managed a soft laugh. "I used to have a good friend like that. That's something he always said. Anyways, I hope you're not badly injured."

I raised my eyebrow. "I've suffered worse. I'm just glad I can see clearly." My words seemed to alarm her a little so I hastily added, "But thanks for your concern."

We paused in our conversation, allowing Cole to call out to me. "Hey bro! We were thinking of leaving soon, so start wrapping things up!"

He raised his eyebrow at me. I would've stuck my tongue out at him, but my hood was up, covering most of my face. So I just turned back to the girl, who seemed a little more at ease now. "Thanks for everything tonight," she said, "I'm gonna go find my mom, but thanks." A little awkward goodbye, but as she started to turn away something pinged at the back of my mind.

"Wait I never got to ask you. What's your name?" I blurted.

The young woman stopped in her tracks and slowly turned around to face me again. She eyed me curiously while I did my best not to show any "weakness". After a moment's consideration, she announced. "I'm Lucy. Lucy Anderson."

My heart stopped.

**Eeeepppp! So finally the two of them have met! i hoped you all enhoyed this super-long chapter of mine (it was like 5 pages of Word)! I would LOVE to hear your thoughts on this chapter so please please PLEASE leave a review! Can't wait to hear what you have to say :)**


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Note: Sorry for the long wait for this update but at times, updating slipped my mind. Before I go on I'd really like to give a huge THANK YOU! to Jay Nice, ArwynandCole, KiaFlame, and iluvninjagogirl for reviewing my last chapter! Thanks so much for reviewing every chapter of mine and showing suppor Also a THANK YOU should go to my beta RedHotPickleFace for helping me with every chapter and making it as well written as possible. So here is the newest chapter that I hope you all enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Ninjago in any way.**

Chapter 9

Kai's POV

No. No. NO!

This couldn't be right! I knew I wasn't dreaming, but was it really, truly possible that the girl I had been thinking about, no less than a couple hours ago, was standing in front of me in the middle of a disaster scene? And to make matters worse I practically **_let_**her father die! If I wasn't feeling guilty earlier, this had to take the cake. I was so shocked, so stupefied, all I could do was stutter, "L-lucy? I can't believe it's really you."

She looked at me, eyebrows furrowed. "Yes, my name is Lucy. But how do you know me? I don't think I know you."

"That's because you don't recognize me. It's been a while, but I'm still me." I reached up slowly to pull my hood down, watching her eyes widen. "It's me, Kai."

Lucy's POV

"I'm Lucy. Lucy Anderson."

Okay. I told him my name. I just hoped this guy wouldn't turn into some sort of stalker. That would be the last thing I needed. But to my surprise he started to murmur, "L-lucy? I can't believe it's really you."

I frowned, lines disrupting my former dreary countenance. I tried to throw a little humor into my words, even though I was really confused, "Yes, my name is Lucy. But how do you know me? I don't think I know you." As I spoke up I saw his eyes soften.

"That's because you don't recognize me. It's been a while, but I'm still me." His words startled me a bit and I took a small step back, slightly weirded out. Then he did something that alarmed me a little. He slowly took off his hood and my eyes widened. I couldn't believe the sight before my eyes. "It's me, Kai."

Holy. Crap.

My guilt was getting worse and worse. Even though my spirit had been slowly lifting, it plummeted like a stone in water. I had been terrified that my mother and father could have been killed, and when the Ninja went in after them, four other lives had been added to that list. But when they came out my worry and guilt had eased, for a few minutes. Now with the news that I had put the guy I been daydreaming about virtually in the hands of death, my guilt escalated to sky-high levels. WOW…

Kai's POV

I had just taken off my hood to reveal my true identity to the shocked young woman standing before me. That was a major rule breaker and I would probably get a good reprobation from Cole, but while I had the chance I wanted to let Lucy know I still remembered her and thought about our old friendship. As the thoughts in my head slowed their revolving and I came back from Cloud 9, I noticed Lucy hadn't budged. Well neither had I, but she stood rooted to the ground with huge, unblinking eyes. I spoke her name softly, "Lucy."

Her name flowed through my lips with ease and I was mildly surprised my voice didn't taper off or crack. She blinked and tears started to form in her eyes and she turned her head away from me. I immediately became concerned and took a half-step forward, narrowing the gap between us to a foot. She looked up and I found myself fixed on her beautiful brown eyes that were glistening with tears. She stared back and before I knew it her arms were wrapped around my neck and she was sobbing into my shoulder. I was shocked but I slipped my arms around her narrow waist and tenderly embraced her. I intended the hug to be comforting, but it only seemed to make her cry harder.

"Lucy, what's wrong?" I asked softly.

She sobbed once more before hoarsely whispering, "It's my fault that you're injured. You could have _died_ in there and it would've been my fault. I _wanted_ you to go in to get my parents and you could've died in there! I almost sent you to your death, and, and . . ."

Her voice trailed off to quiet sobs. I bit my lip, thinking about how to respond.

"Lucy, it is my job, my duty, to protect those of Ninjago. You didn't know it was me and I didn't know it was you. If I had died in there, it would have been with prestige. I'm still here and so is your mom." I gently detangled myself from her to look her in the eyes.

"Don't be so hard on yourself."

We stared at each other for a minute until she leaned against me, tired, and mumbled, "Thanks Kai."

"Yeah. No problem." Well that was one problem fixed –

"Heeeeeey Kai… What's going on here?" an all too familiar, _irritating,_ voice asked, followed by snickers.

Apparently when one problem gets fixed, another arises.

**Well I hope you all liked this! I'd really like to hear from you in the reviews as this will probably be my last chapter for a while because I start school on Monday L I don't know when my next update will be coming but the reviews I get will definitely encourage me!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's Note: I am incredibly, very, EXTREMELY sorry to you guys for not updating! It has bugged me every day and you don't know how bad my guilt is! I need to say a few things before I start the chapter – I want to thank EVERYONE who has read my story and especially big thanks go out to my reviewers. I read your comments when I get stuck and it really just lifts me up :) But more importantly I need to give Red credit for like half this chapter. She helped me through my writer's block and came up with most of the plot so this chapter really goes out to her.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Ninjago. Enjoy!**

Chapter 10

Lucy's POV

I leaned against Kai and felt his arms circle my waist. I blissfully closed my eyes and inhaled Kai's smoky scent mixed with dust and a fragrant spice I couldn't quite put my finger on. It was comforting but at the same time made me sad – the dust a reminder of how I had nearly killed my best friend. Silent tears rolled down my face and onto Kai's uniform. It was quiet for a moment but then a voice followed by snickers broke the silence. "Heeeeeey Kai… What's going on here?"

I felt Kai stiffen in my hold and I thought he mumbled something rude under his breath before turning around. After being released from his warm embrace, I felt a chill and I shivered. And there in front of me stood three other ninja. One was dressed in black, another in dark blue, and the last in white. The one dressed in black had his arms crossed in front of him and his eyebrows raised. Even though I couldn't see anything but their eyes, the blue and white seemed to show amusement at the situation while the one dressed in black seemed wary and a little bit disconcerted. I probably looked like a mess – tear stains on my face and tangled hair.

Kai tilted his head to one side, as if trying to sneak a sideways glance at me, then spoke, "Well guys, this is Lucy. She's an old friend of mine. We've known each other since we were kids."

I thought I saw something flash through the eyes of the black ninja. His eyes softened as if in a sense of understanding. But an understanding of what? The blue ninja looked like he was about to burst into laughter or say something cheeky, but was keeping it together – for now. And the one in white stood silently beside the others observing us as if we were test-subjects in an experiment. I risked a glance at Kai. He didn't seem too happy, but he wasn't fuming or anything.

"And might I ask why you have your mask off?" the one in black questioned with a disapproving tone. I recognized him as the one who had spoken earlier. "Just count yourself lucky that there aren't any more news-reporters around. If they had seen you with this gi-. . . Lucy. . . who knows what rumors would have started? I. . ."

"Hey can you save the lecture for later Cole?" Kai interrupted, clearly irritated. I tried my best not to grin at Kai's outburst – even if his basic personality had changed over the years his temper was still the same. "_Lucy_ here is the one whose parents were trapped in the building and I'm pretty sure the last thing she would like to hear is you bellowing at the top of your lungs." There was a moment of silence before Kai asked, "Where are the reporters anyways?"

A snort irrupted from the ninja in blue while the newly dubbed "Cole" rolled his eyes in exhaustion. "Well… Jay wouldn't shut his trap and started yammering about our past missions and managed to send the reporters on a wild goose chase to the edges of Ninjago for who-knows-why for who-knows-what!" At that the blue ninja, or Jay, burst out in hysterical, uncontrolled laughter. At this point both Kai and the white ninja were rolling their eyes too. This time I couldn't suppress the smile that spread across my face and nearly started to laugh along with Jay when Cole raised his hand to silence his comrade.

"Guys it's getting late. We need to get back to the Bounty and make sure nothing's happened while we were out. Kai? Do you wanna . . .errrr. . .join us or would you rather meet us back at the Bounty later?" I felt a blush spread over my face and I was sure Kai's face reddened too.

"Naahhhh… Why don't we just leave these two alone and Kai can join us whenever he likes," smirked Jay who raised his eyebrows in humor. He then motioned the rest of the team to follow him as he started walking away, keeping to the shadows. "Have fun you two! And don't stay out too late!" Jay teased in a sing-song voice.

As their forms melted into the night, Kai and I turned to face each other, despite the light blush that still covered our faces. Kai reached up to scratch his neck with a sheepish look on his face. "The brothers you always wanted huh?" I asked playfully.

"Hah. You got that right. We're all one big happy family," he said with mild sarcasm and a crooked smile on his face. We stood there for a moment, just grinning at each other. But then a sudden thought hit me.

"Ohmigosh my mom!" I quickly spun around when Kai grabbed my shoulders and turned me to face him.

"Lucy, your mom went to the hospital remember?"

I took a few quick breathes. Right. "But I need to get over there to make sure she's okay." I glanced around and realized I had no idea where I had parked my car.

And as if he read my mind, Kai spoke up. "Hey I can drive you over to the hospital on my Blade Cycle. And we can go from there…"

I quickly ran his plan through my head. I knew Kai could safely get me to the local hospital as quick as possible, but what about my car and where was this 'Blade Cycle' anyways?

"Okay. Sounds good to me. But uhhhmmm… What's a 'Blade Cycle'?"

A classic smirk easily settled on his face while he reached for his sword. He held it between the two of us so I could get a better look. A breath caught in my throat – the sword was beautiful! Its carvings were intricate and detailed and the gold gleamed even in the low light. I reached out to touch it and to my surprise it wasn't cold but pulsed with warmth. Kai grinned and took a step back. "Watch."

He tossed sword into the air. It turned end over end, its tip glinting. Then just before it hit the pavement, there was a bright flash and right before my eyes the sword transformed into an impressive looking vehicle decorated with flames. Kai flashed a smile before executing a flip onto his vehicle and flourishing a matching helmet. "Y-you want me to ride up _there_?" I stuttered.

Kai chuckled and I put my hands on my hips. "It's perfectly safe Lucy. C'mon!" He held out his gloved hand which I took hesitantly. He tightened his grip on my hand and pulled me up with what seemed like little effort. Once seated behind Kai, I slipped the helmet over my head and was engulfed by Kai's elemental scent. As Kai revved the engines of his oversized motorcycle, I slipped my arms around his waist and was glad that I had a helmet to shield the blush that was spreading over my cheeks.

"Isn't this gonna be a little noticeable?" I asked, my voice muffled by the helmet and the roar of the engines.

"You might be surprised," Kai said over the roar and I could hear the smile in his voice. I tightened my hold around him as he shouted, "Let's go!" and off we went. Kai was able to navigate the streets with ease and for a few minutes I forgot the entire world that was streaming by and relaxed into Kai's strapping figure. At first he had been a little tense, but he started to relax too. All too soon we arrived at the hospital. Kai managed to steer into a darkened side alley where he let me dismount. As my feet touched the ground there was a flash and before me stood Kai with his hood up, holding his gleaming sword up for all to see, that is, if there was anyone else besides us in the alley.

"So how do you plan on getting in without people recognizing you?" I asked worriedly. Having Kai be bombarded with fans and questions would not be good.

"Ehhh… Don't worry. I'll find my way in," Kai said.

"But how will you find me, I mean my mom, inside the hospital? Maybe you should wait here," I insisted.

"Nahh –," Kai was interrupted by a small ring and he unhooked a small device from his belt. He gave me an apologetic look then pressed the button and a voice spilled out, filling the silence between us.

"_Kai we need you back at headquarters. We need to figure out what the Serpentine's next move might be and we need all hands on deck, figuratively speaking of course_."

"Okay okay, Zane. I'll be back at the Bounty as soon as possible, but I'm kinda in the middle of something right now. Wait! That wasn't supposed to mean anything –," Kai trailed off, but all that came out of the device was laughter. A growl reverberated in his throat and Kai removed his hood to run his hair through his tangled spikes in exasperation. He held the device close to him to dampen the howling laughter coming from the other end so he could speak to me over the noise.

"Why don't you go in? I'll be here when you come out. I have some . . .stuff to take care of."

"Sure. I'll be out as soon as I can." As I turned towards the corner of the alley I looked back at Kai once and smiled. And I was glad to see him smile back.

**I hoped you guys liked my chapter, but I feel like I'm not making that much progress… Anyways, I ENCOURAGE you to review, or PM me even, and it might help get the next chapter out. Thanks for all the support guys! :)**


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's Note: Hey guys IT'S MY BIRTHDAY! I don't know if there's anyone else out there who has a birthday on October 15****th****, well, I'm sure there's ****_someone_****, but this is my UNBIRTHDAY present to you guys :) Hahahaha I LOVE that clip from Alice in Wonderland. Anyone who is curious should definitely go watch it!**

**ANYWAYS, a huge thanks goes out to those of you who read my last chapter and especially to those who were courteous enough to leave a review! It means a lot knowing that my story hasn't been forgotten or anything :P I hope you guys enjoy this chapter which is written entirely in Zane's POV so it has a little twist. But on with the story!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Ninjago in any way, shape, or form.**

Chapter 11

Zane's POV

The walls of the Bounty's control room echoed with laughter long after Kai had ended our conversation, which I didn't quite understand. He had made a casual comment and for some reason the others, including Nya, had found it wildly funny. Love is a curious thing. After approximately 14.51 seconds, Kai resumed our conversation over the comlink even though everyone else could hear what we were saying. There was still some loud chuckling coming from my brothers but I thought I could hear Kai say that he was planning to bring Lucy over to the Bounty so that we could more formally introduce ourselves to her. However, it was getting late and I was a little concerned about the time. A person who has been affected by a traumatic event such as what Lucy had experienced needs to rest and recuperate. But I did not protest; I was actually looking forward to meeting this girl that Kai was so enraptured by. I was curious about how a relationship worked and what components went into making one "successful". These were things my database could not supply me answers with. But I did know one thing – only time would tell what their relationship will become.

"Oh wow! I can't believe Lucy's coming here!" Nya said excitedly. "It's been years!"

"I just hope she's trustworthy," Cole noted with a slight frown. "And to be honest, a relationship is the last thing Kai needs right now. We all need to be on top of our game to make sure Pythor doesn't get his hands on another Fang-Blade."

For a minute we just stared at Cole in silence. "What? What did I say?"

There was another brief moment of silence before I spoke, carefully choosing my words. "On the other hand, I think having someone like Lucy in his life will encourage Kai to work harder and will get him closer to unlocking his true potential." There was another quiet minute of silence as everyone contemplated my argument against Cole's. Then I took another chance. "But I think we should make sure Lucy has a place to stay tonight, considering the event that has occurred. She needs rest to be able to properly recover."

Nya thought for a moment and then her face brightened. "I know! She can sleep in my room! There's plenty of room and I can take a few blankets from the supply closet so she can sleep on the floor." She frowned for a minute then spoke again. "Actually I'll sleep on the floor and she can have my bed. That would probably be better."

We all talked for a while longer before Nya left to set up her room for Lucy's arrival, assuming she would stay the night.

* * *

A half hour or so later…

The topic of conversation had turned from Lucy's sudden entrance in Kai's life to strategies in defeating the Serpentine when we were alerted by voices on the deck. We had already been conversing in low tones, as to prevent waking Lloyd, who had been sent to bed, but a hand signal from Cole had us quiet instantly. But we quickly recognized the voices and relaxed as Nya dashed towards the deck to greet her brother and friend.

"Wow! This place looks awesome! And there's so much room!" came Lucy's excited voice.

"Ha! But you better believe me when I say that living on a boat with six other people can be too close for comfort," Kai replied light-heartedly. "Sometimes – "

"Lucy!"

"Nya!"

"GREAT TO SEE YOU!"

"Okay, okay!" Kai laughed. "Let's go inside so Lucy can meet the rest of our little group."

Footsteps clattered on the wooden deck, accompanied by animated chatter. Before they reached the doorway, Jay elbowed Cole and whispered, "Be nice." Cole glared daggers at Jay who grinned nonchalantly and I barely managed to hide my grin before Kai burst into the control room with a ridiculous grin plastered on his face causing Jay to snicker.

I could see Lucy's eyes widen as she took in the gathering. Jay, Cole, and I still had our ninja attire on. Jay was leaning comfortably against the control room's main instrument board, while Cole stood upright with his arms crossed in front of him. I stood to the side with my hands behind my back, trying to appear casual.

"Wow…" Lucy breathed. "The real ninja of Ninjago!"

Jay quickly spoke up, "My name's Jay, but I'm also known as the blue ninja of lightning. And not only do I fight but I also invent machines and cook and write poetry and – "

"Talk a lot," interrupted Cole, casting a sidelong glance towards Jay, who just grinned cheekily. "Nice to meet you. Name's Cole, black ninja of earth."

"And I am Zane, white ninja of ice," I introduced myself. Lucy quickly stepped forward to shake our hands, her eyes still wide in amazement.

Conversation quickly started as Lucy was curious about our training and work as ninjas and we, especially Jay, were more than happy to supply her with information. We also recited the story of the history of Ninjago that Sensei Wu had told us many times. Topics of discussion ranged from past missions to our dragons to Cole's cooking to video games. Time passed quickly and before I knew it, it was almost midnight. There had been loud talking and laughing but thankfully Lloyd didn't wake up. Or so I thought.

The conversation had turned to a lull when a new voice made us whip our heads around.

Lloyd stood in the doorway of the control room dressed in his sleeping clothes with one hand on his left hip and the other was curled into a fist which was rubbing furiously at his right eye. "Co-_ole_! I thought you guys were going to bed after you ordered me to my room. _Some_ people are trying to sleep ya know!"

"Yeah yeah, pip-squeak. Oh, Lucy we did forget to mention one last person that lives with us. Meet Lloyd. He's Sensei Wu's nephew and – "

"Lloyd?!" Lucy gasped, her eyes wide once again.

"L-lucy?" Lloyd's jaw had dropped. So had everyone else's in the room. "Lucy!" He vaulted towards the stunned brunette girl and launched himself into her arms.

**Hey guys! So I hoped you enjoyed this chapter and its sweet ending. I apologize if it sounds a little rushed but I really wanted to make sure I could get this out on my birthday. As a present I would LOVE a review :) A smiley face or a "great chapter" comment will suffice. Thanks for all the support guys!**


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